With the recent changes of diet and life style, adult diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia are increasing, which is becoming a social problem. Obesity is an important risk factor for adult diseases, and it is known that obesity is closely linked with feeding activity. Recently, psychogenic feeding disorders are also increased. These feeding disorders are classified by anorexia syndrome and bulimia nervosa, and subtypes associated with overeating exist in the anorexia syndrome. Accordingly, feeding control mechanism is attracting attention.
It has been found recently that a gastrointestinal hormone Ghrelin secreted by the stomach is a feeding control factor. Ghrelin has an energy metabolism regulation activity such as feeding increasing activity, fat accumulating activity and weight increasing activity, and it has been reported that feeding increased when it was administered to rodent or human. Additionally, a reduction of the feeding amount and an inhibition of weight gain have been observed when a peptidic Ghrelin antagonist was administered to animal model, and hence, it has been shown that an agent inhibiting action of Ghrelin has a possibility of using for treating such diseases as obesity and diabetes as a feeding control agent.
A feeding inhibitory agent affecting central nerve system such as mazindol or sibutramine is known as an agent which is effective for inhibition of feeding and is useful for the treatment or prevention of obesity. However, it cannot be satisfied in terms of concerns about habitation and side effects such as thirst or effects on blood pressure.
Patent Document 1 discloses use of an oxindole derivative as a feeding control agent.
Patent Document: WO2005/035498